Corpus Christi Procession

An ancient tradition in the heart of Rome

The Corpus Christi Procession is one of Rome's most deeply felt and ancient religious celebrations. Every year, on the Sunday the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, the Diocese of Rome gathers to bear public witness to the Eucharistic faith, carrying the Most Holy Sacrament through the streets of the City of Rome, in the Lazio region.

The heart of the celebration is the Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran, the cathedral of Rome and the "mother of all churches," where Holy Mass is celebrated by the Cardinal Vicar. At the end of the liturgy, the faithful form a procession that moves through the district in an atmosphere of contemplation, song, and prayer.

The celebration and the route

The day begins with the recitation of the Rosary and continues with Holy Mass, featuring the Choir of the Diocese of Rome directed by Monsignor Marco Frisina, one of the most renowned voices in Italian sacred music. Following the Eucharistic celebration, the procession with the Most Holy Sacrament begins: the cortege travels along Viale Carlo Felice to the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, where the final Eucharistic blessing is imparted.

The procession is a public and communal act: pastors and the faithful walk together behind the monstrance, along a route that connects some of the most venerated basilicas of Christendom in the San Giovanni and Esquilino districts.

The meaning of the feast

Corpus Christi originated in the 13th century and has always held a particularly solemn character in Rome, linked to the presence of the Bishop of Rome. The procession is, in the words often recalled by the city's pastors, "a courageous testimony of faith": a moment when the Christian community leaves the churches to adore and carry the Eucharist along the streets of the Capital.

An event open to the city

The celebration is free and open to all, both the faithful and visitors. It also represents a unique opportunity to discover the artistic and spiritual heritage of the San Giovanni district, including the Lateran Archbasilica, the Holy Stairs, and the Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem. Due to its significance, the Corpus Christi Procession in Rome is an event that involves not only the Diocese but often the entire Church, to the extent that in some editions, the city procession has been led personally by the Holy Father.